Extrusion mill



Dec. 7, 1943. E N, MEAKIN Y2,336,114

EXTRUSION MILL Filed Nov. 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EDGAR N. MEA K1N A TTONM Dec. 7, 1943. E. N. MEAKlN 2,336,114

f v EXTRUSION MILL Filed Nov. 12, 1941 ,Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fjl.-

INVENTOR. EDGAR N. M'AK//V L76 l /oo Arrone/Vex Patented Dec. l7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

My invention relates to extrusion mills in general,'and more particularly to mills designed for the formation of pellets.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a novel mill of the extrusion type- (l) Capable of turning out pellets at a rapid rate,

(2) Adapted to produce a pelleted product incorporating a substantial proportion of molasses or other tacky material as an ingredient,

(3) Adapted to produce a pelleted product incorporating molasses or other tacky ingredient, and which is adapted to dust the same with a non-sticky coating material during the extrusion of the pellets and before they are severed from the die and permitted to mingle with each other,

(4) In which the various components may readily be exposed for cleaning or replacementl of parts, and

(5) Adapted during the production of a coated pellet, to maintain the individual pellets more or less isolated from each other during the coating process.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of the same taken in commotion with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my novel mill:

Figure 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, leaving certain of the elements in elevation:

Figure 3 is a view, partly in section, taken on the line 3 3 o! Figure 1.

My invention in general involves the provision oi an extrusion chamber in which the die element is preferably of cylindrical form and constitutes an element o1' the extrusion chamber, and wherein the extrusion element or roller is mounted upon a hinged door which, when closed, forms one end wall of the extrusion chamber, at the same time supporting the roller in cooperating relationship with the die. Material is fed into the extrusion chamber, preferably through an opening in the door, from a suitable hopper, which hopper is also hingedly supported and adapted to be swung into engagement with the door, with its discharge end protruding through the feed opening in the door.

Where the material to be pelleted, is to include a tacky ingredient such as molasses in substantial proportions, my invention further contemplates the provision of another hopper having a discharge opening directed against the discharge the manner of supporting the feed hopper and the door to the extrusion chamber on which the roller is mounted, vfacilitates. exposure of the various components of the mill for cleaning purposes, as well as enables a rapid replacement of parts when and if such parts need replacement.

For a more detailed description of my invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings. The mill comprises a housing I0 oi' rectangular shape, including a base i2, a body portion having front, rear and sidewalls, I4, I6,

i8 and I9, respectively, and a top wall or roof 2li. A partition 22 intermediate the front and rear walls divides the housing into a front and a rear section. 'I'he die 24 is preferably of cylindrical shape and is clamped to a backing disk 2B forming one end wall of the extrusion chamber 28, such clamping being eiiected by a plurality of clamping elements distributed about the periphery of the disk and die, each of such 30 elements being bolted to the edge of the backing disk and engaging in a peripheral edge groove in said disk and a corresponding groove around the die. y

The backing disk is preferably integrally united to one end of the die shaft 32 which extends through the intermediate wall 22 and the rear wall IB of the housing, and is rotatably supported therein by suitable bearing assemblies 34 and 36 carried by said walls, respectively. The

40 die is thus adapted for rotation and is driven by a. prime mover such as an electric motor (not shown), through a suitable speed reduction gear train assembly which includes a drive shaft 38 supported in bearings between the same two walls, and carrying a pinion I0 in driving engagement with a. gear 42 mounted on and keyed to the die shaft 32.

The front wall I4 of the housing is provided with an opening therethrough. concentric with and of greater diameter than the entrance to the extrusion chamber. Such opening is adapted to be closed by a door M hinged to the front wall of the housing adjacent the front edge of the side wall i8, the door being provided with a circular groove 46 on its inner surface, adapted to receive the free edge of the cylindrical die when the door is in its closed position, whereby the door not only provides a support for the die, but effects a closure of the extrusion chamber and constitutes an end wall thereof. The circular groove is of sufficient dimensions to permit free rotational movement of the die.

The door is strengthened by a pair of bracing ribs 48 intersecting in an eccentrically located boss 50. This boss has a longitudinal passage therethrough, and supports therein a stub shaft 5.4 extending into the extrusion chamber. The end 55 of this shaft which lies within the extrusion chamber is eccentric to the shaft proper and carries an extrusion element in the form of a roller 56 mounted on a. bearing assembly 58. The location of the boss 50 is such as to bring the roller into cooperating position ywith the die when the door is swung to its closed position, thendoor being forcibly retained in such closed position by means of a plurality of clamping elements 50 mounted on the front wall of the housing about the periphery of the `door and adapted to be bolted into engagement .with the door after the same has been swung to its closed position.

The eccentric end of the roller shaft permits of adjustment of the position of the roller with shaft proper, and in this manner, wear on the part ofthe roller or die may be` compensated for. Such adjustment is effected by providing a series of teeth 62 on the peripheral surface respect to the die, by a partial rotation of the of the shaft 54, and engaging the same with an adjusting worm 64 vertically supported in an oiset 66 formed integral with the boss 50. 'This worm has its upper end 68 squared to receive a suitable wrench for rotating the same, whereby an angular adjustment of the shaft 54 may be effected to realize the necessary adjustment of the roller position. Suitable locking nuts 10 provided at the lower end of the worm, are adapted, when tightened, to hold the worm against accidental turning, so that any adjusted position of the roller can be maintained.

A lubricating duct drilled through the roller shaft 54 connects the bearing assembly ofthe roller to a lubricating-fitting 1| in the center of theexposed end of the shaft, whereby lubrication may be eected, even while the mill is in operation, Suitable leak-proof seals in the roller serve to retain the lubricant in the bearing and preclude leakage thereof into the extrusion chamber.

The material to be extruded is fed from a suitable hopper 12 into the extrusion chamber 28, through an opening 'I4 in the door, located so as to cause the material to drop. to the bottom of the chamber where, due to the rotation of the die, it will be carried toward the roller and extruded. The hopper is carried by a bracket 13 which is hingedly supported on the front wall I4 of the housing, adjacent the front edge of the side wall I9. Thus, the hopper 12 and the door 44 are connected to opposite sides of the front wall.

This hopper has a bottom 15 of trough-shape, terminating in a discharge end which is adapted to line up with the feed opening 14 in the door, when the hopper is swung into functioning position against the door. It isl maintained in functioning position by suitable means in the form of. a laterally extending perforated lug 18 on the hopper, which is adapted to come to rest and. align with a perforated lug 80 on the boss, and these are adapted to be drawn toward each other by means of a tightening bolt 82 extending through the lugs and provided with a suitable nut 84 for tightening the same.

The feeding of the material from the hopper into the extrusion chamber is a forced feeding, accomplished through the use of a feed screw 86 disposed in the trough-shaped bottom of the hopper and terminating at one end within the extrusion chamber. vAt im other end, it terminates in a -shaft 88 through the other end of the hopper for driving connection to a motor 90. This motor is xedly mounted on a platform 92 which is pivotally secured to the hopper by means of a pivot shaft 94 supported between the bracket 'I3 and a perforated lug 96 extending laterally from the hopper. A drive connection to the hopper screw is eiected through a suitable chain 98 and an adjustable speed reduction device |00, the weight of the motor .serving to tension the chain;

An arm |02 extending upwardly from the pivoted edge of the motor platform 92 carries an adjustable stud |04 at its upper end, which is adjusted into contact with the hopper wall to preclude slackening of the chain due to any tendency on the part of the motorto vibrate, or from any other cause. l

The speed reduction device |00 is of the type constituting the subject matter of a co-pending application of Edgar T. Meakin, for Speed change mechanism, Serial No. 321,925, filed March 2, 1940, and issued July 7, 1942, as Patent No. 2,288,- 824. Such device, briey, comprises a driving shaft |08 to which the chain 98 is connected, a driven shaft which constitutes the feed scr'ew shaft 88, and means for intermittently engaging the screw shaft to the driving shaft, such as by a pawl and ratchet. The adjustment in speed is eil'ected by altering the periods of engagement, through a suitable adjustment of cam means which is included in the speed change mechanism and is controlled Vthrough a control handle |06. The details of construction of the speed change mechanism are not disclosed, for an understanding thereof is not essential to the invention of the present case. Y

Also mounted on the door and carried thereby is a severing knife ||0, the blade of which is adjustably held against the cuter surface of the die in position to sever'the pellets therefrom. Upon severance, the pellets are caught in a chute I 2 by which they are guided out of the machine where the pellets may be caught in bags and packed for the market.

'Ihe apparatus thus far described is capable of feeding material into the extrusion chamber and forming pellets therefrom, and ordinarily, nothing more is necessary in the production of a pelleted product. However, where the product is of a special nature, such as one which includes a substantial proportion of a tacky or sticky ingredient such as molasses, as an element thereof, it is very desirable to coat the freshly formed vpellets with a coating of material of a non-sticky character, which shall serve to preserve the product in its pellet form, at least until the molasses ingredient therein has had a chance to age and harden, and thereby preclude adhesion of pellets one to another during handling.

In the apparatus under description, I provide for this purpose, an additional hopper ||4 to receive the coating material, preferably in the form of a powder, which is supplied to the hopper through a feed pipe I5. This hopper is positioned to discharge through an opening in the roof of the housing above the extrusion chamber, and is guided to the outer surface of the die by a chute lil. In as much as the Powdered material may not of its own accord iiow freely from the hopper IH into the space about the outer surface of the die, a feed screw similar to the one incorporated in the first mentioned hopper, is

preferably provided, and this is driven through a speed reduction device ill similar to that associated with the rst hopper 12, and a chain III connecting a sprocket at the end of the die shaft I2, with a sprocket |22 associated with the speed reduction device.

This hopper arrangement will cause the material to fall upon the extruded material prior to its being severed into pellets, and preferably during the upward movement of such material to assure adequate coating of the exposed ends of the extruded material. Thus, the pellets will have received a substantial preliminary coating prior to severance, which coating is supplemented by the mingling of the severed pellets with the excess coating ma-terial during their passage down the chute, from which they may be discharged in to suitable containers or bags for the market.

When the pellets to be formed call for the application of a heavier or more thorough coating of material, the pellets are preferably discharged from the chute H2 into an inclined tumbler or dusting reel (not shown) before packing the same for shipment. Under such circumstances, all excess coating material will be discharged into the dusting reel along with the pellets and a more' thorough coating will be realized.

It is important to note that from the moment the pellets are severed from the die till they are discharged either from the chute H2 or the inclined tumbler or dusting reel, they are in continuous transitory movement. This serves to more or less isolate the individual pellets during mingling with the coating material; and prior to severance from the die, the pellets are also isolated from each other. Thus, throughout the coating process, the individual pellets have an opportunity to become thoroughly and completely coated before they have a chance to contact one another. This will assure a minimum of adhesion between pellets in the marketable product.

From the above description of my invention, it will be apparent that it fulfills all the objects thereof as previously set forth. Accordingly,

while I have described one embodiment in detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An extrusion mill comprising a die, an extrusion element for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, and a hinged member for carrying and supporting said extrusion element to enable said extrusion' element to be swung from its operating position with respect to said die, to a position of access thereto.

2. An extrusion mill comprising a die, a roller for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, and a hinged member for carrying and supporting said roller to enable said roller to be swung from its operating position with respect to said die, to a position of access thereto.

3. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber including a die as an element thereof, said extrusion chamber having a feed opening through a Wall thereof, a roller supported in said extrusion chamber for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, and a feed hopper hingedly secured with respect to said chamber and having a discharge end adapted to register with said feed opening when said hopper is swung to feeding position, and means for holding said hopper in said feeding pomtion with its discharge end in position to feed material into said chamber.

4. An extrusion mill comprising a rotatable cylindrical die, means supporting said die with its axis substantially horizontal, an extrusion element for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, and means for discharging a coating material toward the material extruded from said die during rotation thereof and prior to severance of said material from said die, as pellets.

5. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber including a die as an element thereof, an extrusion element for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, and a door to said chamber for supporting said extrusion element in cooperating position with respect to said die, said door being hingedly secured with respect to said chamber to enable withdrawal of said extrusion element from said cooperating position upon opening of said door.

6. An extrusion mill comprising a cylindrical extrusion chamber including a cylindrical die as an element thereof -and having an open end thereto, an extrusion element for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, a hingedly secured door adapted to close the open end to said chamber, and means for supporting said extrusion element on said door` in cooperating position with respect to said die, when said door is in its closed position.

7. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber includingy a rotatable cylindrical die as an element thereof, an extrusion roller for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, a door to said chamber for supporting said extrusion roller in cooperating position with respect to said die, said door being hingedly secured to said chamber to enable withdrawal of said roller from said cooperating position upon opening of said door, and means for adjusting said roller relative to said die to compensate for wear of said roller and die.

8. An extrusion m'ill comprising an extrusion chamber including a die as an element thereof, an extrusion element for cooperation with said die in the extrusion of material therethrough, a door to said chamber for supporting said cxtrusion element in cooperating position with respect .to said die, said door having a feed opening therethrough into said extrusion chamber, and a feed hopper hingedly secured with respect to said door and having a, discharge opening adapted to register with said feed opening when said hopper is swung to feeding position.

9. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber including a die as an element thereof; a door hingedly supported with respect to said extrusion chamber to close an end thereof, said door having a feed opening therethrough into said extrusion chamber; a roller supported by said door in cooperating relationship to said die and adapted to be Withdrawn from said cooperating position upon opening of said door; and feed means hingedly secured with respect to said chamber and adapted to be moved into registry with the feed opening through said door, when said door is in its closed position.

10. An extrusion mill comprising a cylindrical extrusion chamber including a cylindrical die as an element thereof; a door to said extrusion chamber, said door having a feed opening therethrough into said extrusion chamber; a roller supported by said door in cooperating relationship to said die and adapted to be withdrawn from said cooperating position upon opening of said door; and feed means hingedly secured with respect to said chamber and adapted to be moved into registry with the f eed opening through said door, when said door is in its closed position.

1i. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber including a rotatable die as an element thereof; a door hingedly secured to said chamber to close an end thereof, said door having a feed opening therethrough into said extrusion chainber; a roller `supported by said door in cooperating relationship to said die and adapted to be withdrawn from said cooperating position upon opening of said door; feed means hingedly secured to said chamber and adapted to be moved into registry with the feed opening through said door, when said door is in its closed position; and means for discharging a coating or similar material against that surface of said die :from which extruded material emerges.

12. An extrusion mill comprising a cylindrical extrusion chamber including a cylindrical die as an element thereof; a door hingedly secured tosaid chamber to close an end thereof, said door having a. feed opening therethrough into said extrusion chamber; a rollerv supported by said door in cooperating relationship to said die and adapted to be withdrawn from said cooperating position upon opening of said door; feed means hingedly secured to said chamber and adapted to be moved into registry with the feed opening through said door, when saiddoor is in its closed position;` and means for creating an atmosphere of coating material adjacent that surface of said die from which extruded material emerges.

13. An extrusion mill comprising a die and an extrusion element in cooperative relationship to said die whereby to extrude moldable material therethrough, means for severing such extruded material to produce pellets therefrom, and means for applyinga coating material to the extruded material prior to severance of such material from the die.

14. lAn extrusion mill comprising a die and an extrusion element, said die and extrusion element being movable with respect to each other whereby to extrude moldable material through said die, means for severing such extruded material to produce pellets therefrom, and means for applying a coating material to the extruded material during such relative movement and prior to severance of such material.

l5. An extrusion mill comprising a die and an extrusion element in cooperative relationship to said die whereby to extrude moldable material therethrough, means for severing such extruded material to produce pellets therefrom, and means for applying a coating material to the extruded material prior to severance of such material.

16. An extrusion mill comprising an extrusion chamber including a. cylindrical die normally closed at one end, means supporting said die at the closed end thereof, and a hinged door swingable into engagement with the open end of said cylindrical die, said door having a circular groove in the surface thereof to register with and re- 35 ceive the free edge of said die and provide support therefor.

EDGAR N. MEAKIN. 

